The light has shone! My observations of a high-level priest...

[dhegler]

I think I figured out why there was a change to make artifacts with non-standard hit die a thing of the past now that I have acquired Clairvoyance and Alter Reality. I have also never used the item or monster lists before, and having telepathy and Clairvoyance is incredible. I cannot believe how easy it is to "scum" for items (and vaults!) is now...

It has just become an entirely different game at cLevel 40 or so. Also, I found Purifications and Healing, hence I now can restore my stats and XP. It almost feels too easy now, but I guess I am just not going to have to endure the tedium of carrying Restore XP potions and hoping to run across restore stat potions when I need them. Let alone, I also have Identify now as well!

The only thing that I would need to be relatively unstoppable would be Banishment, like a mage. Anyway, In the past day I have altered my play now more than I have in the past few years... Are there any other characters that totally change the way you play the game? i.e. not melee vs. spell vs. range, but ENTIRELY change how you explore and approach trying to defeat monsters.

[Sirridan]

I can't wait till my priest get's there. It must make end-game consumable farming so much easier!

I'm still tickled pink about being able to walk into an orc pit and hit m4dnn (dispel evil, repeat twice) and clear the pit... same thing with trolls. I won't try giant pits like this though just because of the boulders...

[Zikke]

I totally agree with your assessment of high level priests! I found it VERY fun on my half-troll priest (extra hp = melee!). I love scumming vaults so I went crazy at it.

I think high-level priests are the easiest to win with. With paladins you get to a point where you have the resists and endless big heals and you can literally melee anything to death. Very empowering.

And with mages, seeing a vault and clearing it with WoD or banishments is way too easy. I think high level mages are second in the game-changing category. Also, being able to kill Morgoth without any consumables is pretty cool.

[dhegler]

My first (and only win) was with a mage and once you get Banishment, everything changes. But, I think how I go about playing the game changes most with the high-level priest. Clairvoyance basically lets you know where everything is, including escape routes! No need for mapping scrolls/spells... And with telepathy, you know what is going to happen before it actually does. No more surprises when a unique bears down on you...

I'm at clvl 42 and maybe dlvl 52. Time to dive...